Automatic cleaner solution supply for beer distributing systems



I B. AUDIA AUTOMATIC CLEANER SOLUTION SUPPLY FOR BEER DISTRIBUTING SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 7, 1952 JNVENTOR.

BENJAMIN Auo/A TORNEY Patented July 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE AUTOMATIC CLEANER SOLUTION SUPPLY FOR BEER DISTRIBUTING SYSTEMS Benjamin Audia, Washington, Pa.

Application October 7, 1952, SerialNo. 313,548

2.Claims. 1

This invention relates to an automatic cleaner solution supply for a "beer distributing system and, more particularly .to an electrical time controlled system whereby the pipes and coilof the beer distributing system is flushed witha cleaner solution automatically at predetermined intervals of time and for-predetermined periods.

It is known that beer-distributing pipes must be flushed from timeto time with water, or better still, with a cleaning solution, such as a soda solution, in order to keep the lines and coilclean and fresh so as not to change the tasteof the beer.

Various apparatus and systems have been devised in the past, generally manually controlled, for cleaning the pipes and coil when desired, but these have not proved satisfactory or foolproof, the judgment of the bartender often being depended upon for their properoperation. Moreover, such systems usually include complicated parts suchas differentiallyoperated valves and the like which add considerably to the cost and. which often times become faulty in operation and are difiicultto adjust and maintain.

An object of my invention is to provide an automatic timer controlled system for periodically flushing, with a cleaning solution, the pipes and coil of a beer distributing system without the aid or judgment of the bartender or other attendant, therefore, being devoid of human error or the effect of carelessness.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide an electrical system operated by a timer which can be preset so as to effect flushing of a beer distributing system with soda or other cleaning solution at periodic intervals of time without the necessity of operating the beer dispensing spigot, whereby, the bartender need not do anything in connection with the cleaning operations.

Other objects and advantages of myinvention will become apparent from a study of the following description taken with the accompanying drawing, wherein the single figure shows, somewhat schematically, a beer distributing system embodying the teachings of my invention Referring more particularly to the drawing, numeral I denotes a beerkeg which has the usual pipe extending into the top, thereof, which includes a valve 2. A hose 3 connected to a suitable source of pressure such as a compressed air tank.

(not shown) is connected to the pipe and introduces air under pressure into the beer keg so as to force the beer upwardly throughpipe-fl thence to the coil 5 which is enclosed in refrigerating tank 6. Cold water may be passed through the tankfi, or perhaps some other refrigerant,- or the tank may be packed with ice, in order to coolthebeer contained withincoil 5. The cool beer is then dispensed through the spigot or tap 1.

In order to clean the beer system with a cleaning solution from time to time there is provided a mixing tank 8 on top of which ismounted a container or jug -9 which is filled with cleaning material, such aspowderedsoda or perhaps some other cleansing solution.

Gravity flow of the material from jug9 to tank 8 may be controlled by adjusting valve 811, there between, Warm water is introduced into mixing tank 8 through a pipe [0 in regulatable amounts as determined by the setting of valve H. The warm water inlet pipe i Z is'fed froma hot water supply pipe and valve 13 and a cold water supply pipe and valve I4 so that by regulating the respective valves, any desired temperature of water may be fed through .pipe in to the mixing tank 8. At the lower end portion of tank 8 there are provided a plurality of taps or outlets [5, 15a, [5b, and I50, for the purpose of supplying a plurality of beer distributing units and cleaning solution. Only one beer distributing unit is shown for the purpose of clarity. It comprises a branch pipe reconnected to outlet I15 through which the "cleaning solution passes, thence through solenoid'valve H and pipe is to pipe 4.

An electrical time controlled system is provided for effecting operation of various solenoid valves at predetermined time intervals. Such system includes a source of electrical potential, indicated by supply lines L1, L2, which may comprise a 110volt household source, and across which is connected a timer motor 22 for operating a timer controlled switch unit 23 including eontacts24 and 25. -Any conventional type of timer unit maybe used which is welll'known, such as, for example, a Paragon 7-day calendar-dial time switch including a single pole double throw switch.

Normally, beer :passes through the beer distrib uting system, that is, from the beer keg 1 through 7-day calendar-dial time switch, operated by timer motor 22, contacts 24 and 25 may be closed at predetermined intervals of time and for predetermined intervals of time and for predetermined lengths of time. For instance, they may close once a day, say early morning, at 8 oclock, and for a period of 15 minutes, after which the contacts are automatically opened.

As contact 24 is closed a circuit is completed from line L1, L2, through electrical conductors 34 and 35 to energize solenoid coils i? and 21. Energization and opening of solenoid valve 2? permits the liquid in coil 5 to discharge through a dis-charge pipe 28 into the drain pan 253 and finally through outlet 30 from which it may discharge into a sewer or other drainage system. At the same time, solenoid valve ll is energized, thereby causing flow of cleaning solution from the mixing tank 8 through branch pipe 56, valve l1, pipe I 8, pipe 4, through coil 5, thence through valve 27 and discharge pipe 28. Also at the same time by virtue of closing contact 25, a circuit is completed through solenoid valve 26 causing closing of said valve (since this valve is normally open) thereby stopping the flow of beer from keg I through pipe 4. Thus pipe i and coil 5 will .be thoroughly flushed with cleaning solution which is drained without the necessity of opening spigot I, therefore, not requiring the assistance of the bartender. Of course, the spigot I may also be flushed if opened by the bartender at this time. The occurrence of such flushing with cleaning solution will be called to the attention of the bartender by virtue of the lighting of the pilot light 3| during this period.

After a predeterminedtime interval of flushing, say about minutes, depending on the setting of the timer mechanism, timer motor 22 will effect reopening of switch contacts 24 and thus deenergizing and closing solenoid valves ii and 2'! and deenergizing and opening solenoid valve 25 so as to shut off the supply of cleaning solution and the discharge pipe 28 and at the same time deenergizing solenoid valve 25 to effect opening thereof and restoring the flow of beer from beer keg I through pipe 4, coil 5, and spigot 1.

If it should be desired at any time to effect flushing of the coil 5 with a cleaning solution supplied by mixing tank 8 without awaiting initiation of this action by the timer motor 22, this can be done by manually closing switch 32 and switch 33 to complete the circuits through the various solenoid valves I1, 26, and 21 as well as through the pilot light 3!. This will, of course, effect establishment of the necessary piping connections to allow the cleaning solution to flow from mixing tank 8 through pipes Hi and 4,,coil 5, thence through discharge pipe 28 to the drain outlet 38. Upon manually opening switches 32 and 33, the various solenoid valves will be deenergized as well as pilot light 3!, so as to reestablish the fluid connection from beerlkeg I through pipe 5, coil 5, to spigot 1.

In the event of power failure, or faulty operation of the various solenoid valves, manual control of valves in a branch circuit may be empass solenoid valves 25 and 21, but are not shown for the purpose of simplicity.

For the purpose of simplicity only one beer keg land coil 5 together with its flushing system is shown. It will be readily apparent that duplicate systems such as that shown, that is, involving additional beer keg coil and spigots as well as associated flushing circuits and the various solenoid valves, may be used. However, the same mixing tank 3 may be sufiiciently large to supply a plurality of such systems through the various outlet connections l5a, [5b, and I50. Stated differently, a duplicate hydraulic and electrical system may be used, identical to that shown on the drawing, for each of the other outlets [5a, I51), I50. They may all be mounted on a common base (not shown) so as to form, essen tially, a single unit.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a fully automatic, timed controlled system for periodically flushing the coil of a beer distributing system with a cleaning solution for predetermined time periods; furthermore, I have provided a beer coil flushing system which is automatically operabe without the assistance of the bartender, therefore, which is fool proof and reliable; also I have provided a flushing system for cleaning the coil of a beer distributing system which is selectively controllable either by a time controlled mechanism or' by -manual controlled switching, or, in the event of power failure or faulty operation of the solenoid valves, may be controlled by manually operated valves; furthermore, I have provided an efficient mixing tank and piping assembly enabling selective mixture of different amounts of cleaning solution or materials with Water at selectively different temperatures and which is effective to supply a plurality of beer distributing systems.

While I have illustrated and described a certain, specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this is by Way of illustration only, and that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Pipe flushing apparatus for a beer dispensing system including a keg, a coil adapted to be refrigerated, a spigot, and piping'for normally causing the iiow of beer from said keg through said coil and said spigot, said apparatus comprising, in combination, an electric control circuit including electrically operated valve means for said piping for normally causing the flow of beer from said keg through said coil, a mixing tank for storing a pipe cleaning material, hot water inlet and outlet connections for said tank, a timer controlled switch in said circuit for controlling said electrically operated valve means to interrupt said flow of beer from said keg to said coil and to simultaneously effect flow of said cleaning solution from said tank through said coil to effect flushing thereof, the duration of said flushing being controlled by the setting of said timer controlled switch, and signal means in association with said spigot and controlled by said timer controlled switch.

2. In a beer distributing system comprising a beer keg, a refrigeratable beer coil, a dispensing spigot, and a main supply pipe serially connecting said keg coil and spigot, apparatus for flushing said coil even when said keg is partially filled and without disconnecting said keg from said main supply line, said apparatus comprising, in

combination, a receptacle for storing and mixing a pipe cleaning solution, said receptacle supplied by hot and cold inlet water pipe connections and having an outlet connected to said main supply pipe at a point between said keg and coil, an electric control circuit including electromagnetic valve means for selectively providing a liquid flow path either from said receptacle to said coil or from said keg to said coil, an electric switch, a timer for controlling said switch and for operating said electromagnetic valve means upon expiration of a preset and preselected time period, and signal means in said circuit and closely associated with said spigot and controlled by said electric switch, whereby the bartender can be warned when said time period has expired and the coil flushing period has been completed.

BENJAMIN AUDIA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,035,516 Ashley Aug. 13, 1912 1,931,527 Burkett Oct. 24, 1933 2,022,952 Cohen Dec. 3, 1935 2,109,896 Anderson Mar. 1, 1938 2,407,453 Rougier Sept. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 398,440 Great Britain Sept. 14, 1933 

